Combined shaft bearing and coupling



1941- H. w. RUBINSTEIN 2,257,979

COMBINED SHAFT BEARING AND COUPLING Filed Dec, 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Harry M. 51mm BY LA; \LLM ATTORNEY.

06b 4 H. w. RUBINSTEIN 2,257,979

COMBINED SHAFT BEARING AND COUPLING Filed Dec. 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i r 'I/IIIIIIIII'IIIII I vI/II'IIIA I) In INVENTOR.

V ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 COMBINED SHAFT BEARING AND COUPLING Barry W. Rubinstein, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Globe-Union Inc.,, Milwaukee, Wis, a. corporation of Delaware Application December 23,1939, Serial Ne. 310,8ii6

' 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined shaft coupling and bearing, which is especially adapted for use in mountings and connecting control shafts to electrical control devices, such as volume controls, tone controls, switches, or similar control devices employed on a radio receiver.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a combined shaft coupling and bearing of this character, which makes it practical to readily and easily couple the shaft to or uncouple it from its control device, and yet when coupled the shaft is firmly supported for rotation, securely held against accidental displacement, and eifectively rotativeiy coupled to the movable element of the control device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined coupling'and bearing of this character, which is simple, compact and closely organized in construction, reliable and emcient in operation, easily manipulated, and easy and combe conventionally manufactured of sheet metal stampings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, which may be conveniently combined with multiple unit in such a way as to simplify and compact the construction thereof.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central, vertical, longitudinal section, showing a combined shaft coupling and bearing embodying the present invention and employed to mount the control shaft of a volume control device and rotatively couple it to the movable element or movable contact of the volume control device.

Figure 2 is a group view in perspective show ing a portion of the shaft, its rotatable bearing bushing, its fixed hearing sleeve, and the movable contact for the volume control device.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation of the volume control device with which the present invention is combined, the metal cover of the'volume control being removedand portions of certain of the elements of the volume control being broken away i for the purpose of illustration.

Figure is a detail view in end elevation of the rotatable hearing bushing or cartridge.

Figure 5 is a view thereof in central, vertical, longitudinal cross section.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in central vertical longitudinal section, showing a slightly modified construction.

Figure 7 is a view in end elevationoi the rotatable bearing bushing employed in the form of the device illustrated in Figure ii.

Figure 8 is a view in side elevation of the bearing bushing shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view in end elevation of the opposite end of the bearing bushing from that shown in Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a detail view in elevation of a modified form of control shaft.

Figure lilo is a fragmentary view of an elevation showing a still further modification in the structure of the control shalt.

Figure ii. is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical cross section, showing the invention as embodied in a multiple unit control.

Figure 12 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central, vertical, longitudinal section, further illustrating the construction shown in Figure 11.

t Figure 13 is a view in transverse, vertical cross section taken on line iii-43 of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a detail view in end elevation of a rotatable bearing bushing or cartridge, which may be employed in any of the various structures embodying the present invention, and which has the side walls of its slot serrated or roughened to enhance the frictional engagement between the walls of the slot and the control shaft.

Figure 15 is a view in end elevation of a stepby-step switch equipped with a control shaft coupling and mounting embodying the present invention.

Figure 16 is a view in transverse, vertical cross section taken on line iE--E$ of Figure 15, with parts shown in elevation for the saite of simplicity and illustration; and

Figure l? is a view in transverse, vertical cross section taken on line ill-i! of Figure 16.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to ill, inclusive, it will be seen that the invention is there shown, for the purposes oi illustration only, as being embodied in a volume control device, designated generally at to. fv'i/hile the specific construction of the volume control per se forms no part of the presout invention, it will be seen that generally speaking it is of the type having a casing or housing ll of insulating material which has one end opened and equipped with a metal cover 12. The cover i2 is suitably attached and releasably secured to the casing. Applied to the inner peripheral wall of the casing II is a resistance element iii in the form of a carbonaceous or conductive coated strip of paper, or some other similarly coated flexible material. The movable contact 14 of the volume control is adjustable around the conductive strip. The movable contact I4 is carried by an insulating disk is, which is rotatively coupled to the control shaft IS in a manner which will more clearly appear. The end of the casing il opposite the metal cover I! is provided with some suitable type of fixed bearing, here shown as an externally threaded, fixed sleeve H, which has its inner end flanged. as at 8, and engaged with a suitable seat provided therefor in the centrally apertured end wall of the casing. In' use the fixed-bearing sleeve i1 projects through an opening provided in the supporting member [9. A nut 20 is threaded on the bushing and engages the support is. I In some instances the support of the volume control may be supplemented by means of a mounting plate 2i, suitably combined with its closed end and having attaching tabs 22 which are extended through openings in the support. It is to be understood, however, that the particular construction of the bushing, or the specific way the volume control or the like is supported, may be widely varied.

A cartridge or rotatable bearing bushing 25 is fitted in the fixed bearing sleeve i! for rotative movement. This rotatable bearing bushing 25 has a cylindrical body portion 28 provided at one end with an integral end wall 2'! united to the body portion of the cartridge by means of a crimp or flange The cylindrical body portion 25 is provided at its inner end, and at diametrically opposite portions, with integral anchoring lugs 2Q. end wall 2i of the bearing bushing. The bearing bushing 2-5 is assembled with the fixed bearing sleeve il in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, so that its cylindrical body portion 25 is a rotating fit in the fixed bearing sleeve 17, and its flange 28 rotatively abuts the outer end of the fixed sleeve ii. The tabs 29 at the inner end of the body portion of the rotatable bearing sleeve are extended through a rectangular slot i5 provided in the insulating disk of the movable contact, and also extended through a similar slot provided in the hub portion of a combination rotatable stop member and switch operator, designated as at 3!, and their extremities are then bent or clinched over, as at 29' (see Figure 3). In this way the parts are maintained assembled and a rotative coupling is had between the rotatable bearing sleeve or cartridge and the movable element 15 of the body control.

As illustrated, the shaft i6 is preferably constituted of flat stock, and may be stamped from a fiat strip of stiiiiy resilient metal of suitable gauge, and then cut into sections of appropriate length. The outer end of the shaft I6 passes through an opening provided therefor in the front panel 35 of the radio receiver, and at its extreme outer end is equipped with a knob 32. The inner end portion of the shaft is provided with a longitudinal slot 33, which extends for a considerable portion of the length of the shaft and out through the inner end thereof. The

A dlametrical slot 30 is formed in the portion of the shaft in which the slot 33 is formed is of reduced width so that shoulders 34 are presented at the juncture of the reduced portion and main portion of the shaft. Near the end of the shaft through which the slot 33 extends the slot is widened out or flared, as indicated at 33', and the sections of the shaft on the opposite sides of the flared portion of the slot are formed into outwardly directed double beveled hooks 38. The shaft I6 is so dimensioned and proportioned that when its inner end is inserted through the slot 30 the outer edges of its reduced portion bear against the inner peripheral wall of the bushing 25 and in the assembly the shoulders 34 abut the portions of the flange 28 disposed in alinement with the ends of the slot 30. Furthermore, their hooks 38 on the inner end of the shaft snap over the angularly bent end portions 29 of the tabs 29 to positively and rele'asably interlock the shaft with the rotatable bearing sleeve or cartridge.

This construction not only supports the shaft ii for rotation, but effectively though releasably couples it to the rotating bearing bushing or cartridge 25, and also establishes a driving connection or rotative coupling between the shaft I B and the movable elements I, l 5 of the volume control device M. The knob 32 and shaft 16 may be readily detached by simply pulling outwardly on the knob 32 since the double bevel of the hooks 38 permits the sections of the shaft to spring together as well as to spring apart. In other words, the hooks 38, when subjected to a pull or push, are cammed inwardly first, and then, of course, when they pass the ends of the bearing sleeve or cartridge 25, they spring outwardly under the influence of the inherent resiliency of the split or slotted portion of the shaft.

In the form ofthe invention shown inFigures 6 to 9, all of the elements heretofore described are employed, and the foregoing description applies, save that the construction of the rotating bearing bushing, designated at 25, is slightly varied. The bearing sleeve has a cylindrical body portion 26 as before, but the inner end of this body portion is closed by an integral end wall 40, and the tabs corresponding to the tabs 29, and heroin designated at 4|, are struck out of the inner end wall 40 forming a' transverse slot 40. The outer end of the cylindrical body portion 26 is open, but is provided with an outwardly directed flange, designated at 28, which has diametrically opposite slots 31'. In this form of the invention the shoulders 34 abut the floors of the slots 3I-and are interlocked with the side walls thereof, and the shaft I6 is further interlocked with the slot 40 in the inner end wall 40 of the rotatable bearing bushing 25. The tabs El are clinched over the movable elements of the volume control in the same manner as the tabs 29, and when the shaft (6 is assembled with the bearing bushing 25 the latching hooks 38 of the shaft have latching engagement with the clinched portions of tabs 4! as before.

While the control shaft is preferably constituted of flat stock, in the manner hereinabove described, the invention also contemplates the provision of shaft structure of the character shown in Figure 10, where the main portion of the shaft, designated at 50, is round, and one end thereof is flattened, as indicated at 5i. In this construction the flattened end is slotted, as at 52', and is formed with the latching hooks 53, so that the shaft is assembled with the bearing Bushing in the same way in which the shait I6 is assembled.

In some constructions, and especially where the sections of the reduced inner end or the, shaft on the opposite sides of its slot are spread apart so that in the assembly they are under considerable tension, it may be desirable to have the latching projections at the inner end of the shaft of the special construction shown in Figure 10a. As there shown, the latching projections are designated generally at 55, and have pronounced and somewhat elongated cumming surfaces 55 sloping transversely of the shaft and efiective to insure snapping of the latching shoulder 51 of the latching projections 55 into latching engagement with the parts with which they are engageable. In this construction the slot of the shaft, designated at W, may he flared as shown.

Figure 1a illustrates a slight variation in the construction of the rotatable bearing bushing or cartridge. The rotatablebushirig or cartridge shown in Figure is is designated at ll, and is identical with the cartridges ii and save that the slot in its outer end wall has its side edges serrated or roughened, as indicated at 32 to enhance the frictional engagement between the cartridge and the portion or the shaft in the slot.

in Figures ii to 13, inclusive, the invention is shown embodied in a multi ole or twin control unit. The multiple or twin control unit may comprise a plurality of volume control devices, designated at til and 6!, which, except for certain details in the construction 01' their housings, and or" the manner of their support, are identical, and are in fact internally constructed in the same manner as the volume control device it, illustrated in Figures l to is; that.

each has a movable contact i l adjustable around a resistance element 83, each movable contact being carried by an insulating dish The insulating disks it of the movable contacts i i are rotatively coupled to the manually adjustable shaft till in. a manner which will he hereinafter more fully described.

The volume control device til has a cup-shaped housing #33 of insulating material. The end wall as of this housing is centrally anertured and suitably recessed to adapt it to he interengaged with a suitable type of fixed hearing which may take the form of an externally threaded fixed sleeve 6%. The inner end of the sleeve 65 is flanged, as at 65, to intrflt with the margin of the central opening of the end wall oi the housing, and the threaded oortiori of the sleeve projects beyond the end wall of the hours ing. A centrally apertured metal plate Si is fitted over the projecting portion of the bushing and abuts the outer face of the'end wall of the housing. This plate 61, bushing es, and housing 5e are maintained assembled by means of a thin nut 88 threaded on the bushing and coacting with the flange 65 to clamp the parts together. in use, the bearing sleeve Gil projects through an opening provided therefor in the supporting member 39, which may be a part of the chassis of a radio receiver, and is releasahly held in position thereon by means of a mounting nut it fitted on the bushing and engageahle with the support on the opposite side thereof from the nut $8.

The control device 6! also has an insulating housing designated at ll, which is generally of cup shape, and has an end wall "it which is its inner and, and at dianietiical.

oi the control unit 6i.

disposed adjacent the open end of the housing 83. The end wall 12 ofthe housing H may have integrally moulded therewith a bearing sleeve 13, which is axially aliued with the fixed bearing sleeve 55. A metal cover It closes the open end 0! the housing TI, and has extension or cover legs "iii of arcuate form in cross section, and which extend along diametrically opposite portions or the exterior of the housings oi the two units. The outside peripheral surface of the housing oi the two units may he provided with parallel ribs l5 between which cover legs or extensions 75 are disposed. At their outer ends the cover legs or extensions "Iii have securing lugs or tabs "It integral therewith and bent around in fastening engagement to the edge portions of the plate ill to releasably secure the parts assembled. If desired, the leg it may also have integral lugs '55, designed to interfit with openings in the supporting member to locate the assembly hold it against turning.

it cartridge or rotatable hearing bushing ll, very similar in construction to cartridge or hear-- ing sleeve 25, is fitted in the Shred hearing sleeve to for rotative movement. rotatable hear ing bushing or cartridge J, like the cartridge has cylindrical portion, designated at iii,

"A W li-is provided one end with an integral end united to the hody portion of the cartr means of crime or flange horly portion E8 of the cartridge i h integrahhendahle anchoring lu etrical slot i to it o 12 hearing hits A similar, though short *3 cartridge or rotatable hearing bushing, designated at til, fitted in the fixed hearing sleeve 33 of the housing it also has its cylindrical body portion rotatively fitted in the hearing sleeve and integral outer end wall united to its body portion by a crimp or flange, a diametrical slot in the outer wall, anchoring taos in tegral with the inner end of the cylindrical ill 5 marl wall. the assembly anchoring tabs i asor" the hearing sleeves ll and areeiitended through the rliarnetrical slots iii oi the insulat ing disks it) of the control units, and are bent Oi clinched over into secure engagement with these dislrs, or with metal parts carried thereby.

in this construction the reduced and slotted end of the shaft 52 is elongated in order to. control both units and ti, and it is extended through the diametrlcal slots of both cartridges Ti and t3 and has latching projections at its inner end which have latching engagement with the anchoring tabs 8d of the inner the main and reduced portions of the sh engage the flange 39 of the outer cartridge or hearing sleeve The outer edges of the slotted portion of the shaft are engaged with the inner peripheral surfaces of both cartridges or hearing sleeves El and 23. A construction of this charannularly shaped fiat strip of material, such as liiaizelite, which has agoertured enlargements til rally U-shaped metal mounting frame 92 is provided to support the stator in position and has the ends of its legs reduced and split so as they may be extended through the apertures of the enlargements 9| and ofifset and clinched over in securing relation to the stator, as indicated at 92. The stator 90 surrounds a disk-like rotor 93 of similar material, and is centrally slotted as at 90 so as to be adapted to be rotatably coupled to the control or operating shaft 95, in a manner which will hereinafter more clearly appear. The stator 90 carries an appropriate number of stator clips 90, and the rotor has suitable cooperable contact members 91, which act not only to provide for the desired switching action, but also maintain the rotor in the same plane as the stator although free to rotate relative thereto.

The switch will not be further described as the details of its construction per se form no part of the present invention, and as it is fully disclosed and claimed in the application of John S. Coldwell for "Switches," filed September 20, 1939, Serial No. 295,707, and owned by the assignee of this application.

The frame or mounting plate 92 of the switch is supported on a fixed sleeve or bearing bushing 90, which is in turn mounted on the chassis )f the radio receiver or other supporting member,-

iesignated at 99. The bushing or sleeve 98 is Jrovided with an integral outwardly directed aniular shoulder or collar I00, one face of which, in the assembly, abuts the margin of the opening in the supporting member 99. A nut Il,

threaded on the bushing 98, coacts with the shoulder I00 to clamp the assembly in positionon the supporting member 99. To positively secure the switch assembly against rotation relative to its supporting member, a plate I02 may be interposed between the body portion of the switch frame 92 and the collar I00, and be securely held against movement with respect to these parts by. virtue of the fact that portions of the inner end of the bushing are upset or staked against a fixed detent plate H0, which in'turn is rigidly pressed against the frame 92, as indicated at I00. This firmly clamps the switch frame 92, plate I02, detent plate I I0, and bushing 90 together. The plate I02 is provided with a locating lug I04, which extends at right angles thereto and projects through a locating hole provided therefor in the supporting member 99.

The present invention proposes to rotatably fit a cartridge or bearing bushing I00 in the fixed bearing sleeve 90, and the cartridge or rotatable bearing bushing I00 is similar in construction to the cartridge or bearing bushing 20, I1, and 00, in that it has its cylindrical body portion rotatably fitted in the fixed bearing sleeve 90, has an integral end wall at its outer end united to the cylindrical body by a crimp or flange, and has its outer end wall provided with a diametrical slot. The inner nd of the body of the cartridge or rotatable bearing bushing I09 has anchoring tabs I01 integral therewith and crimped or staked into engagement with the rotatable index spring I00 of an index mechanism, designated generally at H0. The tabs I01 thus secure the inner end of the rotatable bearing bushing or cartridge I00 to the rotatable index spring I00 but leaves these two elements I00 and I00 free to rotate together relative to the fixed bearing sleeve 90. By so securing the lugs I01 to the index, spring I00 the rotatable bearing sleeve or cartridge I00 is preat diametrically opposite points thereof. A gen-- vented from outward axial displacement. The flange at its outer end prevents inward axial displacement thereof.

The index spring I00 comprises a generally circular piece of spring steel or other suitable resilient metal, slotted circumferentially inwardly of its periphery, to provide a hub portion I II and an arcuate strip-like peripheral portion II2 united to the hub portion by means of a radially extending connecting portion I I3. The hub portion III of the detent plate is provided with a diametrical slot, and the tabs I01 are extended through this diametrical slot before being clinched or staked against the detent plate. The arcuate strip-like portion 2 has integrally formed therewith a generally V-shaped or wedgeshaped detent Ill, which is displaced from the plane of the hub portion and is set in such displaced position. This detent Ill, by virtue of its wedge-like formation, is fashioned to coact with suitably spaced, fixed detent lugs [I5 formed on and projecting outwardly therefrom on the fixed detent plate 0 confined between the stakes Hi3 and the body of the frame 92. The rotatable detent spring I00 also has a stop lug II'I integral therewith and designed to engage fixed stop lugs provided at appropriate points on the fixed detent plate.

With this construction the control shaft has a reduced and slotted inner end as before, and is designed to be extended through the slot in the outer end wall of the bearing end sleeve or cartridge, and further to project inwardly beyond the inner end of the sleeve or cartridge so that its inner extremities I20 will project and fit in the slot 94 of the rotor of the switch, thereby rotatably coupling the control shaft to the control switch. In this form of the invention the latching projections, designated at I2l, are formed on the, sections of the reduced portion of the shaft which lie on the opposite sides of its slot at points spaced from the inner end so as to be engageable with the locking tabs I01, whereby t releasably secure the shaft 95 against outward axial displacement. The shoulders I22, presented at the juncture of the reduced and main portion of the shaft 95, limit the inward axial movement of the shaft 95.

With this construction the shaft 95 is rotatably coupledto the bearing sleeve or cartridge I00 and to the rotor of the switch, and incidentally also to the rotatable element of the detent mechanism, and it is releasably and securely held against axial displacement.

While I have shown and described several constructions in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the constructions shown have been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an instrumentality having a fixed bearing sleeve, of a cartridge-type bearing bushing having its body portion rotatively fitted in said sleeve and having a closed and flanged end disposed at the'outer end of the sleeve with the flange rotatively abutting the outer end of the sleeve, the closed-end of the bushing having a transverse slot, means coacting with the inner end of the bushing to prevent outward axial displacement thereof, and a control shaft having its inner end reduced and of fiat stock, said inner end oi the shaft being inserted in the bushing through said transverse slot and having a latching projection for releasably securing said shaft against axial displacement.

2. The combination with an instrumentality having a fixed bearing sleeve, of a cartridge-type bearing bushing having its body portion rotatively fitted in said sleeve and having a closed and flanged end disposed at the outer end of the sleeve with the flange rotatively abutting the outer end or the sleeve, the closed end of the bushing having a transverse slot, means coactins with the inner end of the bushing to prevent outward axial displacement thereof, and a control shaft having its inner end reduced and of flat.

stock, said inner end of the shaft being inserted in the bushing through said transverse slot, the inner end of the shaft being slotted to provide spring arms, said spring arms having beveled latching projections for releasably securing the shaft against axial displacement.

3. The combination with an instrumentality having a fixed bearing sleeve, or a cartridge-type bearing bushing having its body portion rotatively fitted in said sleeve and having a closed and flanged end disposed at the outer end of the sleeve with the flange rotatively abutting the outer end 02 the sleeve, the closed end of the bushing having a transverse slot, the inner end of the body portion of the bushing having integral securing tabs, means against which said tabs are clinched to prevent outward axial displacement of the bushing, and a control shaft having its loner end reduced and oi fiat stock, said inner end of the shaft being inserted in the bushing through said transverse slot and having a latching protection for releasably securing said shaft against axial displacement,

a bearing bushing rotatahly titted in said sleeve and havhag flange at the outer end thereof en gageahle with the outer end oi said sleeve, said rotatable element having its outer peripheral portion coop-arable with an end wall the housins and having the central portion chatting the inner end or the sleeve, said central portion having a non circular opening therein alined with the opening in the sleeve, said bearing bushing having anchoring lugs integral with its inner end, extended through said opening and clinched around the inner face of said element, and a control shaft having its inner end reduced and inserted in and rotatively coupled tosaid bushing and formed with a longitudinal slot extendin out through the inner end of the shaft to provide a pair of spring lingers, said fingers having twineled latching projections at their inner ends adapted to have latching engagement with the clinched portions of said lugs, the juncture of the reduced and main portions of the shaft presentlng shoulders, said flange of said bushing having slots with which said shoulders are inter fitted.

6. The combination with the housing of a control instrumentality having a rotatable control element therein and a iixed bearing sleeve at one end thereof, of a bearing bushing rotatably fitted in said sleeve and having a flange at the outer end thereoi engagcable with the outer end of said sleeve, said rotatable control element having a non-circular opening allned with the opening of the sleeve, the inner end of the sleeve having anchoring lugs extended through said non-circular opening and clinched into engagement with said control element, and a control shaft rotatlvely coupled to and releasably interconnected with said bushing.

7. The combination with the housing 01 an instrumentality having a rotatable element therein and a fixed bearing sleeve at one end thereof, of a bearing bushing rotatably fitted in said sleeve and having a flange at the outer end thereits inner end formed with heveled latching jections engageable with the clinched portions oi said lugs to releasalolgr secure th shaft against axial displacement relative the bushing.

8. A control device oi the ollaracter described comprising a casing having a fixed hashing, hollow cylindrical hearing hashing rotataioly san ported in said fixed hushlnasaid hearing bushing being provided with on end wall, a diametrical slot formed in said well, and a ,ontrol shaft hav ing its inner end or fiat stcc extending within said bearing; touching, portions or the edges of said shalt being engaged with the inner nerloh= eral wall of said hearing bushing, the sides or the riot portion of said shalt engaged with said slot, said shalt having latching projection for releasalolv securing said shalt against axial displacement within said hearing bushing.

ii. A control device oi the character described comprising" a casing having a hired bushing, a hollow cylindrical bearing bushing rotetahlv sup ported in said fixed hashing, said hearing hushmg having an upwardly directed annular flange having rotative engagement with the end of said fixed bushing, and an operating shaft having a portion of fiat stock extending within saidv hear ing bushing and having its edges in engagement with the inner peripheral wall thereof, said she-rt 

